1 “Here Stands a Brave Man” or “Game Over”

Requirements: Roc’s Feather

Color Required (DX Version only)
The photography album within Link’s Awakening does not exist in the old black-and-white Game Boy version but was only implemented in the DX version. If you’re playing in black and white, then nothing on this page can be collected.

Two screens east of the Moblin Hideout is the cameraman. Or is it cameramouse? At any rate, a mouse who functions as a budding photographer resides in a house with a big camera on the top. If you enter when you don’t have anyone following you when you enter, you will get the option to have your photograph taken. If at any point you answer in the affirmative, you will get the picture “Here Stands a Brave Man,” which is Link standing confidently in front of the curtain.

This is what you might call the “happy beginning.”

However, saying “No” won’t cancel the request; instead, the mouse will continue to pester you until you’ve said “no” something like eight times. If you don’t yield and continually say no, then you will be beaten into submission and have your photograph taken anyway; however, in this case you will get the “Game Over” picture.

But then you have this alternative. Sadly, you can only choose one.

Lynchpin Photograph
You must obtain the first photograph before you will be able to get any other photograph in the collection. Furthermore, you cannot obtain the first photograph while being accompanied by anyone else (BowWow, Marin, the Ghost, or the Rooster). Since some of the later photographs are time-sensitive, it is recommended that you get the first photograph right before rescuing BowWow (since it is near the Moblin Hideout) or immediately after returning him to Madam MeowMeow.

2 “Ocean View”

Requirements: First Photograph and Marin

Time-sensitive Photograph
You can only obtain this photograph while Marin is accompanying you, which means you must get it after Key Cavern and before you wake the Walrus in Yarna Desert.

Once you have talked to Marin on the beach, head to the southwest corner of both Toronbo Shores and Koholint Island. You’ll find an overlook higher up that looks down onto the beach. Journey to that point and walk to the very end as if you wanted to take a look out onto the sea. You will continue the conversation that took place upon that driftwood log just moments ago.

Make sure not to miss this romantic picture on the beach.

3 “Heads Up!”

Requirements: First Photograph and Marin

TIME-SENSITIVE PHOTOGRAPH
You can only obtain this photograph while Marin is accompanying you, which means you must get it after Key Cavern and before you wake the Walrus in Yarna Desert.

Once Marin has agreed to follow you, make sure to bring her back to Mabe Village before heading off to eastern Koholint. When you do, you’ll pass by the library where two of the Quadruplets are playing ball. Continue north one screen and you will find a well where, if you fall into it, you would find a Piece of Heart.

However, with Marin following you, the scene that emerges when falling into the well is even funnier. Marin, who is now following you wherever you might go, will jump in after you and land on your head. And the photographer is there to catch it in black and white on film.

That the developers had the foresight to include this touch is nothing short of amazing.

Even without the photographer, this is an absolutely hilarious scene.

4 “Camera Hog”

Requirements: First Photograph and Marin

TIME-SENSITIVE PHOTOGRAPH
You can only obtain this photograph while Marin is accompanying you, which means you must get it after Key Cavern and before you wake the Walrus in Yarna Desert.

Marin following you about the island could, in some ways, be construed as a date. But some people are just too eager to push their way into your affairs. While walking around with Marin, head east and then north from Madam MeowMeow’s house to find the weathercock. Walk straight up to the front of it, and the photographer will offer to take your picture. But it won’t just be of the two of you. Tarin will quickly come rushing in and want to photobomb the picture.

Here you are, out and about while having a rather nice wonderful date…

… and then suddenly that annoying third wheel comes and intrudes.

5 “Link Discovers Ulrira’s Secret”

Requirements: First Photograph

One screen southwest of Marin and Tarin’s house is Grandpa Ulrira’s house. Ulrira is a man of very few words, though he certainly does love to chat it up on the phone. It almost makes you wonder just how happy he must look when conversing with strangers from afar.

If you’re curious as to Ulrira’s secret, all you need to do (after getting the first photograph, of course) is visit Grandpa Ulrira’s house. Walk up to the window just next to the door, and before long the cameramouse will call upon you. He will take a picture of Ulrira just to satiate your curiosity.

Ulrira doesn’t like talking to people, so the only way to see him talk…

… is to have the cameraman sneak a picture of him caught in the act.

6 “Link Plays with BowWow!”

Requirements: First Photograph and BowWow returned to Madam MeowMeow

After defeating Bottle Grotto, you’ll need to bring the borrowed BowWow back to his rightful owner. As a result, you’ll need to drop by Madam MeowMeow’s and then talk to the lady to properly return him after his long and adventurous walk.

At any point after that, all you need to do is walk up to the stake that holds BowWow firmly planted on the ground to invoke the photographer to the scene. A short cutscene will play as he encourages you to get ever closer and closer to the mutt. Despite your prior walking of him, he doesn’t seem to be too eager to make friends, and the resultant photograph will certainly show it!

And here you thought you had become best friends with BowWow…

7 “THIEF!”

Getting out of the shop whilst pinching expensive items isn’t easy.

Requirements: First Photograph

One of the more subtle touches of Link’s Awakening is that, when shopping at the Mabe Village general store, to purchase an item, you must bring it directly to the clerk behind the cash register to purchase it rather than just walking up to it and holding it over your head. What this technically means, however, is that it is possible (though difficult) to simply walk straight out of the store with your would-be purchase with the five-fingered discount. It definitely makes the thought of stealing that Bow, priced at 980 Rupees out of your maximum wallet of 999, sound pretty tempting.

To steal something from the shopkeeper, you need to be quick on your feet. This is especially true if the item is expensive; the shopkeeper keeps a closer eye on the more expensive items than the cheaper ones. First, select the item you wish to steal. Second, then you want to walk behind the cash register (and the clerk) so that the clerk is facing away from the door. Then you will need to, as quickly as you can, make your way to the door. It might take a few tries as the clerk isn’t exactly slow; however, keep at it and you’ll eventually get lucky.

It can be done though, and it can save you some hard-earned cash.

This scandalous photo will cause everyone to call you THIEF.

The photographer won’t create a scene when taking a picture of you doing this dirty deed. However, snap a picture of the crime he will, and you can always find it in the album stored at his house.

WARNING! This can ruin a perfect game!
Taking this photograph can absolutely ruin a perfect game (one in which Link doesn’t die). If you get this picture (or rather, if you steal from the store) and then later re-enter the store for any reason, no matter how long it takes, the shopkeeper will instantly kill you, chalking up a death into the endgame tally. Because it can be easy to forget several hours later that you stole an item from the shop, it is highly advisable that you get this photograph towards the end of the game. Furthermore, because you need the Bow to beat the game, it’s best that you either steal the Bow itself or have purchased the Bow before stealing anything. In addition to the risk of death, from this point until the end of the game, every NPC will refer to you as THIEF (in all capitals) instead of the name you entered at the Name Entry screen.

Yeah, you should have realized coming back here was going to be bad.

Beware of the shop if you’re going for that zero-death completion!

8 “Can’t Swim?”

Requirements: First Photograph and Magnifying Lens

Once you have the Hookshot, head east and then south of Catfish’s Maw to the southeast corner of Martha’s Bay. There you’ll find a bridge that heads out to an island in the middle of the bay. Whilst in the water, dive beneath the surface when you’re just next to the bridge.

You’ll find that there’s a fisherman atop a boat who uses that alcove to pull up fish from the bottom of the protected cove. Use Roc’s Feather to hop out of the water and speak to the boatman. He’ll cast his line into the sea for you, and he’ll then end up pulling up the photographer from the sea. It’ll then spawn a rather humorous scene as Link rocks the boat, causing the fisherman to tip off into the water.

Perhaps the fisherman should have thought twice about skirting those swimming lessons.

9 “I Found Zora”

Requirements: First Photograph and Magnifying Lens

With the Magnifying Lens in tow, return to Animal Village. Head to the rightmost house in the upper-right screen of the village. If you had visited this house before, you might have discovered that it was empty and effectively abandoned, though perhaps someone does indeed lives there and is just out and about. However, if you enter with the Magnifying Lens, you will immediately start to hone in on the back corner.

Turns out that this little hut wasn’t abandoned at all; it’s just that you couldn’t notice a creature as… small(?) as this? At any rate, Link discovers a Zora hanging out in the room’s pond. The photographer will come in to photograph that special moment.

This house is ordinarily empty whenever you go in… but yet…

Going in with a Magnifying Lens suddenly allows you to see… this…

10 “A Regal Home”

Requirements: First Photograph, Power Bracelet, and Kanalet Castle gates still closed

Time-sensitive photograph
You can only obtain this photograph while the Kanalet Castle gate remains shut, which means you must obtain this photo before you activate the switch on the first floor of Kanalet Castle.

Richard will give you the quest to invade Kanalet Castle and obtain his five Gold Leaves in exchange for the Slime Key. Of course, what he doesn’t tell you straight away is that the castle has been sealed off with its front gates completely shut, sealing his berserked soldiers safely within.

There is a way into the castle off to the east, but before making your way in, visit the great gate first. If you visit it while the gate is sealed, the cameramouse will visit you to take a picture. In fact, Richard will come and check on you as well, you know, to make sure you intend to honor your half of the deal. The two of you will be photographed together in a daring pose.

11 “I Was Very Afraid”

Requirements: First Photograph and Lonely Ghost returned to his/her grave

After defeating Angler’s Cavern, eventually you’ll be haunted by the Ghost. He will ask you to take him to his house, and then, after seeing that it has been unchanged, he will ask you to take him to his grave, the lone grave west of the Cemetery one screen west from the Witch’s Hut.

Once you’ve put the ghost to rest by returning the ghost to his grave, approach the lone tombstone once again. The photographer will come and photograph you, and in the process the ghost will show up, seemingly finally at peace.

Return to this grave after the ghost is laid to rest.

You can rest easy knowing that you brought it some happiness.

12 “Close Call”

Requirements: First Photograph, Roc’s Feather, Power Bracelet, and Flippers

High in the mountains, just above Mambo’s cave, is the Hen House. From the Hen House travel to the east, crossing the bridges using Roc’s Feather. You will eventually come to a trio of rocks, though one of those rocks hides a Spiny Beetle. Kill the Spiny Beetle by lifting the rock off of its back, and then continue east over the second bridge.

As you’re crossing the bridge, the photographer will eventually interrupt you. This will result in the twelfth photograph and an amusing scene where the photographer falls off the bridge.